Nestled along the golden shores of Southern California, 30 minutes north of San Diego, is the quiet, sea-side resort town of Carlsbad, home of the Carlsbad Aquafarm. We hand raise Carlsbad Blonde and Luna Oysters, and Mediterranean Mussels.

Our Farm

We set the standard for farming premium shellfish through environmental stewardship, state-of-the-art aquaculture and sustainable seafood farming practices.

Carlsbad Aquafarm is Southern California’s only shellfish farm growing Pacific oysters and Mediterranean mussels and since 1990. We are committed to pursuing a balance between producing seafood of unsurpassed quality and conserving our ocean’s resources.

We are involved with restoring coastal habitats by working with environmental groups to establish “living shorelines” consisting of oyster reefs and Eelgrass that remove excess algae from bays and estuaries while providing vital habitats for fish and seabirds.

Our shellfish are grown in the Agua Hedionda Lagoon on the outskirts of Carlsbad, California, where oyster trays and mussel ropes are supported by floats that ride upon tidal currents. Each day millions of gallons of seawater flow from the pristine waters of Carlsbad State Beach through the scenic coastal lagoon, providing our shellfish with fresh nutrients and seawater that ensures that our oysters and mussels grow flavorful and packed with protein, and rich in omega 3's, calcium, iron, zinc and vitamin C.

One of the oldest, natural, mineral-rich spring waters in the nation has continuously flowed through the area for over 10,000 years. The refreshing, alkaline spring waters begin their underground journey at the Cleveland National Forest and runs 40 miles from the country’s southernmost national forest to reach Carlsbad. The discovery of spring’s uniquely clean, mineral-rich, alkaline waters gave impetus to establishing a health spa, based on waters similarity to the therapeutic waters of the renowned Karlsbad spa of Bohemia. Established in the middle ages, Karlsbad spa has been frequented by the royal families of Europe for over six centuries. The region’s natural springs, including hot springs, were used by Germanic and Celtic tribes going back to the early Bronze Age.

Carlsbad’s mineral-rich, alkaline springs contribute to the watershed that flows into Agua Hedionda Lagoon. The spring’s minerals include a form calcium-carbonate that is a crucial building block of shellfish mantles. The calcareous minerals improve the health of our shellfish, which have been studied by USC Wrigley Marine Labs, which moved its oyster spat nursery facilities to our farm.

The abundant nutrients flowing into the lagoon from ocean tides and mineral rich watershed, complemented by one of world’s most temperate climates, contribute making our shellfish among the most delectable, nutritious shellfish grown anywhere in the world.

Morning Harvest

Our crew takes pride in the quality of each hand-grown oyster they raise by hand, tumble and polish before harvesting. During its year-long grow-cycle, every oyster is tumbled several times to attain the deeply cupped shape our customers have come to expect.

Triple Purified

When our shellfish reach market size they are immersed in triple-filtered, a purification process that ensures the highest quality and product safety. Each shellfish batch is tested by independent FDA-certified lab.